Machine for forming material



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MACHINE FOR FORMING MATERIAL Filed Sept. 6, 1921 15 Sheets-Sheet 16 Patented Aug. 26, 1930 UNITED STATES L'Ulllblllfli PATENT OFFICE CUTLER D. KNOWLTON, OF BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY MACHINE FOR FORMING MATERIAL Original application filed May 7, 1920, Serial No. 379,588. Divided and this application filed September This invention relates to the bringing of material into predetermined forms, being more particularly concerned with the bending of strips in accordance with a pattern,

though it is to be understood that its usefulness is not limited to this field. An important application of its principles is in con nection with the formation of the implements commonly termed clicking dies, which are frequently employed for cutting pieces of leather and fabric to be assembled in shoe uppers. As far as I am aware, these dies have heretofore been made manually, with the assistance only of a simple apparatus, which is utilized for producing the more sharply bent portions. Generally the method pursued is as follows: The workman cuts off a piece of die-stock, which consists of strip steel tapered or frusto-conical in cross-sec- 20, tion, the length of the cut portion being sufiicient to allow it to be brought to conformity with the periphery of a templet representing the die to be produced, and also including enough stock to overlap for welding. Then, selecting such a point in the cut piece that the weld will come in the proper relation to the angles, a corner is bent to the templet, and thereafter an adjacent side and the succeeding corner. Each bend tends to distort so the portion or portions previously formed, and to these corrective bending action must be applied. Naturally, the workman may find, after adjacent angles and an intermediate side have been brought to what is be lieved to be the contour of the templet, that the distance along the side between the angles does not correspond with suflicient accuracy to this dimension of the templet. If such be the case, it is undesirable to straighten and re-bend the angle on account of the evil eifect upon the structure of the metal, so the workman resorts to some such expedient as hammering, or otherwise exerting force upon the stock in one direction or the other, to shorten or lengthen the intermediate side. This is in itself objectionable, since it is likely to distort the work, and if it fails in its purpose the partially completed die must be scrapped and the labor lost. Thus bending, trying to the templet, further bending and Serial No. 498,682.

correcting, the workman proceeds until the ends of the piece are brought together and are welded. Though clicking die makers may attain a high degree of skill, it will be seen that the operations are at best but a series of approximations, having the further disadvantage of reacting unfavorably upon one another, and that the reforming of parts already operated on is required. The making of these dies manually is consequently relatively slow and expensive.

To overcome such difliculties as above outlined, an object of my invention is to provide a novel machine for progressively forming material under the guidance of a pattern. In the illustrated embodiment of the machine are associated, for the formation of the ma terial, means for restricting its movement, means for effecting relative movement between the restricting means and material, and contact or forming means movable through Varying distances depending upon the form of the pattern, the forming means and restricting means acting oppositely upon the material to bring it to the desired form. Preferably, the restricting means consists of separated abutments, between which passes the strip to be bent, or other work, there being means arranged to move across the space between the abutments to bend and thus form the emerging strip. Herein the bending members, of which I have chosen to show two, operating against opposite sides of the work, move in their contact with said work in different directions, so to better impart to it, first smaller departures from its normal extension, and then to move it through greater angles. In the disclosed embodiment of the invention, the abutments not only co-operate with the members in the forming action to resist the movement of the work under forming pressure, but are also movable relatively to clamp it during the operation. This movement is preferably etl'ected under power, as is also that of the forming means. The advance of the work between the abutments for forming is advantageously produced by feeding means, and in this advance of the work, during which it may be bent, it is engaged by means for controlling its formation.

A further object of the invention is to effectively control the elements which cooperate in the forming operation. The form to be imparted being in accordance with a pattern, I control the relation between the operating means and the material operated on through the intervention of a member which is itself governed by the relation between the material and pattern, preferably through contact with said pattern, though it may also engage the material. This control may be exerted upon the feeding means, the forming means, and, if a clamping effect is desired, upon the restricting means. As herein disclosed, the control is through a gaging member, which is movable as the work advances, said gaging member being caused to move as a result of lack of conformity between said work and the pattern. By this movement of the gaging member, an appropriate operating means is controlled. In the illustrated machine, the gaging is accomplished through the agency of difierentially movable members contacting with both the pattern and material to measure the distance between them, being unaffected by simultaneous equal travel of the members, and thus avoiding false controlling action by play of the pattern and material. This is of especial importance when the pattern is mounted upon the stock, as in my preferred procedure. Between the gaging member and operating means is a connecting chain, which I have shown as including a plurality of lever-systems and a fluid-pressure system actuating a power mechanism to cause movement to be imparted to the operating means. The fluid-pressure system, which is preferably pneumatic, may have primary and secondary Valves, or other controlling devices, governing oppositely acting power means, as pneumatic cylinders, which may actuate such devices as clutchesof the power mechanism. By an arrangement of this character, slight controlling movements of the gaging member may be caused to produce promptly operating forces of any desired intensity acting through the requisite distance.

Under some conditions, as in bending the work through considerable angles, the operation may call for a greater actuating force than at other times to enable the machine to operate most effectively. Another object of the invention, therefore, is to cause an automatic variation in the force to meet such requirements. To this end, the illustrated machine applies a certain initial pressure to the work, and then increases this pressure, and I prefer to govern these variations by the extent to which the work has been operated upon, as the angle through which a bender moves in contact with a strip.

It is also an object of the invention to provide novel heating means when it is desirable to thus facilitate the forming operation, this heating being preferably through the intermediation of the forming means. In the disclosed embodiment of my improved machine, the forming means serves as the terminal of an electric circuit supplying heating current. Another circuit terminal contacting with the work is shown as furnished by the restricting means, or abutments between which the work travels. To most effectively apply the heat, it is controlled in the movement of a member operating upon the work, this control being herein illustrated as exercised by means which produces the movement and by an element under the influence thereof. By this controlling means, the overheating of the stock, either locally at the point of contact or generally between the circuit terminals, is avoided.

The maintenance of the work in the desired plane during its bending is another object achieved by my improved machine. This is gained by supporting in its advance the strip operated upon, this support being by means resisting its deflection out of the plane in which bending takes place, said resisting means being situated in advance of the bending means and movable bodily under the influence of the strip. For this purpose. there herein appears a pivoted arm freely movable in a predetermined plane, and to which the work is clamped.

An additional object of the invention is to dissociate the formed work from the unused portion of the stock from which it has been produced, and for the accomplishment of this object I combine in a novel manner with forming means a means for severing the formed material. Preferably, cutting means co-operates with the restricting abutments between which the work travels in its formation. When the abutments move relatively to exert a clamping effect, the cutter may share in such relative movement.

Still another object of the invention is to establish a control of the machine by the work, as in initiating or stopping the action of certain mechanisms. Particularly is this of value at the completion of the forming operation, when it is desired to stop the machine automatically and sever the formed work. I may utilize for this purpose, in a new combination, a member with which the work contacts, communicating thereto a movement affecting said controlled mechanisms. Of such controlling organizations, I

prefer to provide one which includes means for changing the operation upon the work, together with means for holding said changing means in one position. and means for moving it to another position. This lastmentioned movement may be utilized to stop (iii the operation of the machine. Another controlling organization includes a normally inactive connector between power means and means for operating upon the work, and also means governed in the operation of the machine or by the work for releasing the connector. This release may bring about the action of the cutter.

Other objects of the invention involve certain subsidiary features, including the imparting of an initial curvature to the stock, the prevention of oxidation at its heated portion, and the control and adjustment of various elements and mechanisms in the machine, this control being both automatic and manual.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one of the many embodiments which my improved forming machine may assume;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation, taken from the right in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section upon the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Figs. 5 and 6 are similar views upon the lines 5-5 and 66, respectively, of Figs. 3 and 4;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the entire machine;

Fig. 8 is adetail in elevation of the controlling mechanism for the workfeeding, clamping, bending and heating mechanisms;

Figs. 9 and 10 are sectional details of the primary valve of such controlling mechanism;

Fig. 11 is a like view of a portion of the secondary valve;

Fig. 12 shows in perspective the workclamping and bending members, with the more closely associated portions of the controlling mechanism and supporting device;

Fig. 13 is a similar view of the primary valve-portion of the controlling mechanism;

Fig. 14 is a detail in plan of a portion of the feeler connections;

Figs. 15 and 16 are vertical, sectional details of the work-supporting device;

Fig. 17 illustrates in perspective a workengaging portion of the support;

Figs. 18 and 19 show in perspective two forms of a device for securing the work to the templet;

Fig. 20 is a perspective of the clamping and bending members with their supporting and actuating elements;

Fig. 21 illustrates one of the bending members in perspective;

Fig. 22 is a central, vertical sectional detail through the bending and heat-controlling clutches on the line 2222 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 23 shows, separated, a. set of contact members associated with one of these clutches;

Fig. 24 is a perspective view, bringing out more particularly the circuit-controlling means for the heating current;

Fig. 25 is a longitudinal section taken from the left-hand portion of Fig. 24;

Fig. 26 presents in perspective the currentlimit-ing mechanism;

Fig. 27 illustrates diagrammatically the electrical circuit of the machine;

Fig. 28 is a detail in perspective of the cutter-actuating cam;

Fig. 29 shows in a like manner the mechanism for causing the actuation of the cuttercam;

Fig. 30 is a transverse section through the cam and a portion of its actuating mechanism;

Fig. 31 is a perspective detail view of the connecting pawl for the cam;

Fig. 32 illustrates in perspective the latching arm for moving the jaws manually;

Fig. 33 similarly discloses the actuating elements directly connected with the movable clamping jaw;

Fig. 34 is a vertical section through the mechanism for reversing the feed of the work;

Fig. 35 shows in perspective a portion of the mechanism associated with the clamping jaws for initiating the action of the cutting mechanism and automatically stopping the operation of the machine;

Fig. 36 similarly illustrates another portion of this mechanism;

Figs. 37 38 and 39 are detail perspectives of component parts appearing in Figs. 35 and 36;

Fig. 40 is a perspective view of mechanism for manually stopping the operation of the machine;

Fig. 41 shows, separated and in perspective, co-operating elements of this mechanism;

Figs. 42 and 43 are vertical sections illustrating two positions of means for preventing operation of the cutting mechanism when the machine is stopped manually;

Fig. 44 is a detail in perspective of one of the elements of the last-mentioned figures;

Fig. 45 illustrates in perspective a portion of the mechanism for controlling the actuation of the cutter manually;

Fig. 46 is a perspective view of mechanism for increasing the pressure of the pneumatic system for completing a bending operation;

Fig. 47 is a horizontal section through the air-controlling portion of Fig. 46;

Fig. 48 shows the reducing gearing of the machine in side elevation; and

Fig. 49 illustrates diagrammatically elements of the machine acting directly upon the work.

Principal elements of the machine and general procedure Referring particularly to Figs. 7, 12 and 49, let it be assumed that it is desired to form a strip of metal S to the contour of a templet T to produce a clicking or other cutting die. For this purpose, there are mounted upon a suitable casing or frame F, and co-operating directly with the strip, feeding rolls 100, 102 and 104, jaws 106 and 108, benders 110 and 112, feeler or form-determining members 114 and 116, and a cutter 118. The rolls are driven to intermittently advance the stock at a predetermined rate, the roll 104 being so related to the common tangent to the rolls 100 and 102, that the stock in passing between them, as appears in Fig. 49, has imparted to it a slight uniform curvature. This, at the end of the forming operation, since a closed figure is being produced, will prevent the ends of the stock from coming into contact, and will permit one to overlap the other for the purpose of joining them by welding. These rolls deliver to the jaws 106 and 108, respectively fixed and movable, between which the work is restricted as to lateral movement for forming, being also, in the present instance, held positively during intermissions of feed. l/Vhile thus held, the stock is forced laterally over the ends of the jaws, in one direction or the other, into conformity with the templet by the benders, which are arranged to oscillate across the opening between the jaws and for some distance along each side thereof. These actions are under the control of the feeler, which, as illustrated herein, is duplex, contacting with both the templet and the stock. In this way itmay be caused to gage the distance between the two, or to exercise its controlling function solely because of the departure of the stock from the templet. This eliminates errors which might be introduced by a play of the stock and templet together between the jaws. The cutter acts, after the stock has been bent about the entire templet, as appears in dotted lines in Fig. 49, to sever it from the body of the strip fed. First the stock is advanced in the direction of its longitudinal axis by the rolls between the jaws, and then the templet, which has openings t distributed about its periphery, is secured to the stock, as by clips 0, which may be either rectangular in section, as appears in Fig. 18, or round, as is illustrated in Fig. 19. In either case, each clip has a short arm 50, arranged to enter a templet-opening t, and a long arm 52, somewhat spaced from the arm 50 and provided with an inwardly bent end 54 adapted to pass beneath the edge of the stock to hold it more firmly to the templet. This attachment by the clips is successively made manually as the forming operation proceeds. When the formation of the die to the templet is completed, the machine is stopped and the formed stock out from the remainder automatically, controlled by mechanisms the actions of which is initiated by the contact of the forward extremity s. The clips are then removed, and the die is ready for the joining of its adjacent extremities.

lVhile the elements just outlined furnish cilicient means for bending a die in a wholly automatic manner, it is not to be understood that all or any particular one of these is essential, they being capable of co-operating in various useful combinations, as will hereinafter he defined in the claims.

Feeding, clamping and supporting mechanisms The feeding rolls are best shown in Figs. 1, 2, and T, and their actuating mechanism in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. The roll 100 is secured upon the upper end of a shaft 130, journaled in the frame about a vertical axis. Pairs of pinions 132. 132 and 134, 134 (Fig. 2) respectively connect the shaft 130 with the shafts of the rolls 102 and 104, these being mounted rotatably adjacent to the roll 100 and turning in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1. To alter the relation of the bite of the rolls 100 and 102 to the roll 104, and thus change the degree of curvature imparted to the stock, the roll 102 may be journaled in a member 101 arranged to be swung about the shaft 130. The swinging member has pivoted to it at 103 a rod 105 threaded at 107 through a portion of the frame. A handwheel 109 facilitates the turning of the rod by the operator, and this, through the longitudinal travel produced by the thread, brings about the desired adjustment of the roll 102. The stock from which clicking dies are made is usually tapered in cross-section, and, to permit the rolls to co-operate properly with this, their peripheries are inclined reversely to the taper of the stock. At the lower end of the shaft 130 is fixed a gear 136, with which meshes a pinion 138 fast upon a shaft 140 journaled vertically near one side of the frame (Figs. 3 and 5). About the upper portion of this shaft 140 is a loose sleeve 142, having formed at its bottom portion a disk 144. From opposite sides of the disk depend pairs of studs 146, 146, about which are rotatable pairs of co-operating pinions 148, 150, 148, 150. Each of the pinions 148 meshes with a pinion 152 keyed upon an enlargement near the center of the shaft 140. The pinions 150 both mesh with an internal gear 154, carried upon the upstanding annular edge of a disk 156, which may be integral with the upper extremity of a sleeve 158 surrounding the lower portion of the shaft 140. The edge of the disk 156 also has at its outside gear-teeth 160 acting upon a pinion 162 surrounding a clutch-shaft 164 journaled for rotation parallel to the shaft 140. About the sleeve 142 

